Harvester



E. J. RKMPLE Why 2% E34.

HARVESTER Filed Nov. 18,, 1931 s Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TORw fJB/Mp/sMay 29, 1934.

E. J. RIMPLE HARVESTER .3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 18, 1931 m lm May29, 1934. E J. RlMPLE 1,960,596

HARVESTER' Filed Nov. 18, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 \v A\\V A VII/A Y IA V IA VI A VII/K \V //A V A V I IN VEN TOR. L'TJH/mp/c Patented May 29, 1934mavns'rnn Edward J. Ril nple, Santa Clara, Calit. assignor toCaterpillar Tractor 00., San Leandro, Calif., a

corporation of California Application November 18, 1931, Serial No.575,795 i2 Claims. (01. s-23) With some" types of vegetation it isdesirable that the vegetation cut from a field, instead of i beingcarried* away to be burned, or otherwise used, be returned to the fieldand subsequently It worked into the soil. Thus, in growing asparagus,

I have found it desirable that asparagus tops be out, disintegrated, andreturned to the field wherein they subsequently become incorporated intothe soil to lighten and enrich the soil .belocause of the humus andminerals added. This practice is alsodesirable with other vegetation tobenefit the soil and increase. its productivity.

1 It is an object of the invention to provide a method of farming and amanner of soil treatmerit.

'' Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for cuttingvegetation, thereafter disto the field wherein it originated.

Description of drawings In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of mymachine.

Fig;- 2 is a section taken along section line 2-2 oi-Fig.1.

' Fig. 3' is a section .of the header taken along line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of my machine. Fig. 5 is a section on line5--5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a form of main 'frame.

Description of method and preferred form of machine To harvestvegetation standing in a field, such as asparagus tops and the like, Iprovide sickle 7 (Fig. 1) to cut the vegetation and dischargeit'upondraperB. Reel 6 cooperates with sickle 7.

Reel 6, sickle 7, and draper 8 (Fig. 1) are carried by frame 9 formed ofstructural elements such as angles and channels. .Frame 9 is detachablysecured to tubular main frame 11. Wheel 12 is mounted upon axle 13 onframe 9. A second framework 9 adjacent that portion of draper 8 (Figs. 1and 2) on which cut vegetation is discharged by reel 6. The remainder ofdraper 8 is enclosed upon two sides by vertical side members 22 and 23.

To enable cut vegetation to be positively transported by draper 8, Iposition (Fig. 3) another draper 24 between side members 22 and 23.Draper's 8 and 24 converge to a point of discharge. Discharge end ofdraper 24 is pivoted in side members 22 and 23, while the other end ofdraper 24 is carried upon shaft 26 which can be raised or lowered toalter the angle of convergence. Material handled by draper 8 is engagedby draper 24 which assists its iourney to the point of l discharge,adjacent portions of drapers 8 and 24 moving in the same direction.integrating the cut vegetation and returningit Draper's 8 and 24 (Fig.5') are driven by passing a common drive chain 27 over sprockets 28 and29 on shafts 30 and 31. Idler roller 32 mounted upon spring lever 33,hinged at 34 and biased by spring 35, is engaged with the chain to keepit taut. When conveying bunchy material. as asparagus tops, convergingdrapers 8 and 24 compress vegetation so that it is positively engag fortransporting. J

Means are provided for comminuting orgdisintegrating cut vegetation(Fig. 3) and as such means, I employ cylinder 36 and concave 37jprovidedover main frame 11 adjacent point of dis 'charge of drapers 8 and 24.Material discharged over cylinder 36 and is adapted to direct the dis- 1charge out onto the field. Cylinder 36 and con- 5 cave 37 not onlydisintegrate vegetation, but also serve as means 'for spreadingvegetation uniformly over, the field, thereby simplifying the machine.

To supply power (Fig. 4) for operation of the several units of themachine, I fasten engine 42 upon main frame .11 by clamps 43. Engine 42is disposed on main frame- 11 so that its weight substantially balancesthat weight forward of axles l3 and 15, thereby simplifyingconstruction. Engine 42 (Fig. 1) delivers power through chain 44tocountershaft 45 from which reel 6 A vertical back board 21 is providedupon is driven by chains 46 passedover sprockets 47 2 g I on shaft 45,stub shaft 48, andreel shaft 48 Drapers 8 and 24 are driven by passingchain 27 Sickle 7 is reciprocated for cutting vegetation over a sprocketon shaft 49 driven from'shaft by gears50. Cylinder 36' is also drivenfrom shaft 49 by chain 51 passed over sprocket 52 on shaft 49 andsprocket 53 on cylinder shaft 54.

by cam 55 on shaft 49 andpitman 56 extending to sickle 7. :5

Main frame 11 carries draft attachment 57 Figs. 1 and 4) so the machinecan be attached to a vehicle as a tractor to be advanced over a Y fieldwherein the vegetation can be cut, disintegrated, and spread uniformlyover the field.

The position of sickle '7 (Fig. 4) relative to the field is adjusted bypinion 58, mounted on shaft 61 for rotation in subframe 59 by crank .60.Pinion 58 engages rack 62 on vertical member 63. Hinged member 64connects member 63 to frame 9. Vertical movement of rack 62, uponrotation of pinion 58 by crank 60, raises or lowers frame 9, relative tothe field, by rotational movement of frame 9 ab axle 13.

With power delivered by engine 42 to move reel 6, sickle 7, drapers 8and 24, and cylinder 36, and with the machine drawn over a field onwhich vegetation as asparagus tops are standing, the vegetation will becut and thereafter shredded and disintegrated. The finely dividedmaterial will then be discharged uniformly from the cylinder onto thefield to be plowed under or left to rot on the field The vegetation rotsand valuable minerals to the mus to lighten the soil.

The position of concave 37 relative to cylinder 36 (Figs. 2 and 3) canbe varied to control the disintegration of material. Concave 37 ishinged at one end by bolts 71 in plates 38 and 39. Concave 37 includes,at the other end, recesses 65 engaged by levers 63 on shaft 67. Shaft 67is carried in plates 38 and 39." Rotation of shaft and then plowedunder.

soil and furnishing hu- 67 is effective to move levers 66 to vary theposi tion of concave 37 relative to cylinder 36. Shaft 67 is heldagainst rotation by pawl 68 and ratchet 89 carried by shaft 67.

While the relation between the various mechanisms (Figs. 2 and 4)permits of adjustment to cut asparagus as usually grown upon hills, itis sometimes desirable to lower sickle 7 practically to that groundlevel upon which wheels 12 and 14 travel. This cannot be done with theframe shown, as plate 38 will engage main frame 11. However, main frame11 (Fig. 6) can be readily provided with a depressed portion to receiveplates 38 and 39 and permit sickle 7 to cut at ground level.

- the machine and having a.

to receive material from the draper, said device being adjustabletogether with the header frame and being adapted to discharge-all thematerial directly onto a field.

ut commonaxis of axle 15 and disintegrates, returning main frame 11 anddescribed, a main to the main 1 class described, a header extendingtransversely with respect to the direction of advance of the machine andhaving a conveyor for transporting material transversesaid direction, amain frame 2. In a machine of the ly with respect to to dischargematerial onto a field.

g 4. In a machine of the class described, a header extendingtransversely with respect to the direction' of advance of the machinethe main frame and being all the material fed thereto directly onto thefield. V

rial from the conveyor and to discharge the material onto a field.

6. In a machine of the class described, a header unit, a main supportingbody unit therefor exclass described, a conveyor extending transverselywith respect to the direction of advance of the machine positioned afield and'to transport mechanism to receive material from the conveyor,

said disintegrating mechanism being closely adjacent the side of themachine to discharge material directly onto the field.

8, In a machin'e of the class described, a conveyor'extending-transversely with respect to the direction of advance of themachine positioned to receive material from a field and to transportmaterial in a direction transversely with respect to said direction ofadvance, and a disintegrating 9. In a machinept the class described, aconveyor extending transversely with respect to the direction of advanceof the machine positioned to receive material from a field and totransport material in a direction transversely with respect to saiddirection of advance, a disintegrating mechanism to receive materialfrom the conveyor. said disintegrating mechanism being directly at theside of the machine to discharge all the material fed thereto directlyonto the field, and means for mounting the disintegrating mechanism andthe conveyor for simultaneous adjustment about a substantiallyhorizontal axis.

10. In a machine of the class described, a conveyor extendingtransversely with respect to the direction of advance of the machinepositioned to receive material from a field and to transport material ina direction transversely with respect to said direction of advance, anda disintegrating mechanism to receive material from the conveyor,

' said disintegrating mechanism being positioned spaced from the firstconveyor and positioned thereabove to engagematerial on the firstconveyor, means for pivotally mounting the second conveyor at the endadjacent said unit, and means for mounting the opposite end 01 saidsecond conveyor for adjustment about said-pivot.

. EDWARD J. RIMPIE.

the material fed theretodirectly

